Pulley construction



Nov. 17, 1959 M. R. LENDICK 2,913,127

PULLEY CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 14, 195s PULLEY coNsTRUCTIoN p Michael R.' Lendick, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application August 14,1958, serial No. 755,081 i s claims. (cl. z11 119.os)

'Ihe present invention relates to improvements in the construction of pulleys adapted to support the runs of endless cables and more particularly to an improved pulley construction particularly suited for the support of a clothesline or the like. l t

Pulley constructions adapted to support any cable or line utilized for drying clothes are all generally of the same construction, i.e. a grooved pulley mounted within some form of guard for rotation about a horizontal axisv so that the runs of the cable or line are disposed one above the other. This means that only the lower run of the line is available for the support of clothes or the like with the upper run being left necessarily free so that it can proceed through and about the end pulley.

Attempts have been made to provide pulley arrangements whereby both runs of the line were disposed on a common horizontal plane so that both could be utilized but these in general, in order to accomplish the desired purpose, have introduced additional elements making the arrangement unduly complicated and adding to the cost. For example, one such prior art'arrangement proposed utilizing a rst line extending about two pulleys disposed in a horizontal plane with a second and'similar line suspended beneath the first line by supports or hangers. 'I'he rst line was intended to pass about the pulleys while the second line was intended to support the clothes in the usual way. 'As will be appreciated, this latter eX- pedient involving double lines, hangers, etc., presented -certain disadvantages and was at best of doubtful practical value.

The present invention aimsY to provide an improved pulley assembly construction by means of which an endless cable or line such as a clothesline can be supported so that both runs. of the cable are disposed on the same horizontal. plane, and therefore, when utilized as a clothesline, both runs areV adapted to support clothes for drying purposes. Wheny utilized with a novel clothespin construction designed for this purpose, the pulley construction of the invention permits an endless line to pass freely thereabout together with any articles which may be thus attached to the line.

Accordingly, the invention comprises a pulley assembly adapted to support adjacent runs of an endless cable in aligned horizontal relationship and including means -whereby the cable is guided and restrained against displacement from the pulley while permitting free access about the pulley to articles supported from the cable. More specifically, the pulley assembly of the invention includes a pulley supporting frame having means for attacbment to a pulley support, and a grooved pulley mounted on the pulley supporting frame for rotation about a vertical axis. A pair of divided cable guiding pulleys are mounted on the pulley supporting frame so as to engage the cable at circumferentially spaced apart points about the periphery of the pulley with the axes of the divided pulleys disposed at substantially right angles to the axis of the `cable supporting pulley. A main feature of the present invention resides the construction of the ECC divided pulleys which are made so as to provide a clear unobstructed passage for clothes-supporting pins attached to the line while at the same time affording a positive support and guide to the endless cable keeping it in alignment with the main pulley groove.

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in plan of a pulley assembly in accordance with the invention as it would appear when supporting one end of the run of an endless clothesline.

vFigure 2 is a view in side elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 and partially in section, as indicated along the 4line 3-3 of Figure l, to illustrate the construction of the preferred pulley supporting frame more clearly.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View of Figure 2 along the line 4 4 to illustrate the construction of a centrally divided cable guiding pulley in more detail.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View in plan of an endless clothesline supported in two horizontal runs between opposed pulley assemblies in accordance with the invention.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View in plan of an endless clothesline supported in rectangular outline with four (4) horizontal runs between four (4)l pulley construc tions inl accordance with the invention.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along the line 7-7 to illustrate the construtcion and disposition of a divided guiding pulley assembly in more detail.

With particular reference to Figures l and 3 of the drawings, a preferred construction of a cable supporting, pulley assembly in accordance with the invention includes: a main supporting frame 10 of overall cruciform out-- line, a main cable supporting pulley 12 of annular formation mounted for rotation on the supporting frame 10' and a pair of centrally divided cable guiding pulley as-4 semblies 14a, 14b mounted on the supporting frame 10 in; spaced apart relationship. The main pulley supporting frame 10 is of generally cruciform outline and is prefera bly made in two pivotally interconnected portions 10af and 10b which are connected at a pivot point 20. They frame portions 10a, 10b are identical, each having an'. arm 11a provided with a slot 13 providing a means of connection to a pulley support (not illustrated) and an arm 11b. The terminal ends of the arm 11b are shaped scribed later.

shaped to yprovide clearance for the main annular pulley 12"andeach arm is slotted inwardly at this point to accommodate rollers 30 mounted for rotation therein by pins 32. The main pulley 12 is provided with an external cable receiving groove 36 and an internal groove 38 adapted to receive the rollers 30 as shown most clearly in Figure 3. Accordingly, the pulley 12 is mounted for free rotation on the supporting frame 10 when the frame portions 10a, 10b are in the position shown in Figure l or in the position shown in Figure 6.

This is possible by the positioning of the pivot point 20 at the diametrical center of the annular pulley 12 but offset from the juncture of the arms 11a, 11b, or the supporting frame portions 10a, 10b. As is shown most clearly in Figure 1, the arms 11a, 11b are set at right angles to each other so that when the arms 11a on each portion are brought together, as shown in Figure 6,

the pulley assemblies 14a, 1411 are moved circumferential- 1y relative to the pulley 12 so as to guide one run of the 3 cable A at substantially right angles to the other and, of course, on a horizontal plane.

A wire guard or frame 50 of annular formation is mounted on standards 52 beneath the pulley 12 to prevent inward sway of clothespins 70, as will be described in more detail later.

A main feature of the present construction making it possible to guide the cable A in aligned horizontal runs resides in the centrally divided pulley assemblies 14a, 14b. As previously mentioned, these are journalled in supporting frames 24a, 24b formed by integral extensions of the arms 11b of the frame portions 10a, b. With particular reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, each pulley assembly 14a, 14b is made up of an opposed pair of half pulley portions 60a, 60b which are separately mounted for rotation to the frames 24a, 24b by suitable screws 60. As shown in section and with reference to the supporting frame 24a, the pulley portions 60a, 60b are spaced apart centrally leaving a clear space 65 in direct alignment with the cable A supported on and running between the pulley portions tizz, 60b and the inner top of the frame 24a.

When the pulley construction ofthe invention is utilized to support an endless clothesline as shown, this space 65 permits the passage of the supporting hanger 75 of a clothespin assembly 76, see Figure 4. Each clothespin 70 includes the hanger portion 75 having a clasp portion 78 adapting the hanger to be attached or removed from the line and a clothes-retaining portion 80 including a spring 82 adapting it to be resiliently engaged with the articles to be suspended from the cable A. The pulley supporting frames 24a, '24h are each provided with a wire guard 72 having spaced apart pairs of guiding legs 73 disposed at each side of the cable A and adapted t0 align the clothespins 70 for their passage between `the divided pulleys 14a, 14b.

With this arrangement, and as shown in Figures 5 and 6, it is possible to support an endless cable or line for travel in spaced apart runs aligned in a horizontal plane and permitting use of either or both runs as a clothes supporting line. Since the axes of the centrally divided pulleys 14a, 14b are at right angles to the central axis of the main pulley 12 the cable is maintained against displacement by downward pull or tension on the cable A when it is supporting a load.

As will be appreciated by reference to the accompanying drawing and preceding description, while the present pulley arrangement is particularly suited to support a clothesline as illustrated, it could be used in other arrangements requiring parallel horizontal runs of an endless cable, for example overhead conveyor systems or the like. By the substitution of suitable and similar hangers in the place of the clothespin hangers 75 many and varied types of articles could be suspended and conveyed in the manner illustrated.

I claim:

1. A pulley assembly adapted to support adjacent runs of an endless cable in aligned horizontal relationship, comprising in combination, a pulley supporting frame including means for attachment to a pulley support, a grooved cable supporting pulley mounted for rotation on said frame, and a pair of centrally divided cable guiding pulleys mounted on said main pulley support to engage and support said cable at circumfereutially spaced apart points in alignment 'with said main cable groove to prevent displacement of said cable, the axes of said divided pulleys being disposed at substantially right angles to the central axis of said main pulley.

2. A pulley assembly, as claimed in claim l, wherein said divided pulleys each comprise opposed identical half-grooved pulley portions mounted in spaced opposed relationship on separate aligned axes journalled in extensions of said main pulley support, the said pulley portions being centrally spaced apart to provide an unobstructed passage therebetween.

3. A pulley assembly, as claimed in claim'l, wherein said main pulley support includes pivotally interconnected portions whereby the location of said centrally divided cable guiding pulleys supported thereby can be adjusted circumferentially relative to said main pulley.

4. A pulley assembly adapted to support adjacent runs of an endless cable in aligned horizontal relationship, comprising in combination, a main supporting frame of cruciform `outline with an adjacent pair of the arms of said frame provided at their outer ends with means for connection to a pulley support, an annular shapedL externally and internally circumferentially grooved cable guiding pulley mounted for rotation on said frame by a plurality of friction reducing members mounted on said supporting frame arms and engaging said annular pulley internal groove at circumferentially spaced apart points, and a centrally divided cable guiding pulley mounted 011 each of the remaining arms of said supporting frame and being adapted to engage and maintain from displacement at circumferentially spaced points a cable running about said annular pulley external groove, the axes of said divided guiding pulleys being disposed at substantially right angles to the central axis of said annular pulley.

5. A pulley assembly, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cruciform-shaped supporting frame is inl two pivotally connected equal parts and one of said divided guiding pulleys is mounted on each of said partswhereby their circumferential spacing may be varied relative to said annular pulley.

References Cited in the ijle of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTSA 343,293 Bowen June 8, 1886 387,225 Gindorf Aug. 7, 1888 893,633 Malsin July 2l, 1908 1,262,123 Sottile Apr. 9,' 1918 1,607,477 Potter Nov. 16, 1926 

